WARMINSTER / HATBORO, PA —It was called The Battle of Crooked Billet and therefore its historic marker is crooked. But now it is straight for everyone to see.
That marker noting the battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War was aging and crumbling and not showcasing the May 1, 1778, fight near the Crooked Billet Tavern, now present-day Hatboro near the Warminster border.
So Hatboro resident Sean Flanagan, a creative director and graphic designer, and Denis Cooke, a Warminster native and Southampton resident, a lawyer, noted historian, and writer., took action.
“It is amazing what some paint and a little TLC can do!” Flanagan told Patch.
See the straightened sign below
“Our goal was to simply recondition the sign to make it visible again and take pride in the rich history our area has to offer,” Flanagan said. “We hope both the community and visitors will enjoy it. Additionally, we want to raise awareness of the need to maintain not only the signs but the sites they point to.Ironically, the signpost itself is ‘crooked,’ likely due to being hit at some point in the past. We are unable to straighten the post ourselves, but we are seeking support from the township to fix and secure the sign properly.”
In the skirmish action, British forces under the command of Major John Graves Simcoe launched a surprise attack against Brigadier General John Lacey and three regiments of Pennsylvania militia, who were literally caught sleeping. The British inflicted significant damage, and Lacey and his forces were forced to retreat into Bucks County.
Flanagan said it was important to get the marker fixed with the nation celebrating its 250th anniversary of the founding of the country.
“Much of that history began right here, but it has long been forgotten,” he said. Flanagan and his wife Michelle and Cooke are involved in the 5th Pennsylvania Regiment re-enactment group..
The historical marker commemorating the Battle of Crooked Billet, located at the crowded intersection of County Line and Jacksonville roads, is one such forgotten artifact.
It is one of two signs pointing to a monument dedicated to the Battle, which took place around this location on May 1, 1778.
The second (smaller) sign and stone monument are located nearby at 179 Jacksonville Road in Warminster.
The sign was made and placed as part of the Bucks County Historical-Tourist Commission’s Highways of History program, designed to highlight and guide visitors traveling through the county to various historical sites Bucks County has to offer, Flanagan said.
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Flanagan said he was able to find a book titled Episodes in Bucks County History: A Bicentennial Tribute 1776-1976 (Highways of History), published in 1975 by the commission and authored by George F. Lebegern, Jr.
“It seems the Historical-Tourist Commission was dissolved and the historic markers they put up were all forgotten,” Flanagan said. “They have become weathered and worn over time due to a lack of maintenace. I drive by this sign daily and have always hoped that someone would care enough to do something about it. We do care about it and made it happen.”
(Sean Flanagan) Sean Flanagan and Denis Cooke (right) check out their handiwork.
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